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How is a product born? How fashion, retail and manufacturing companies work

At a fashion brand, a jacket passes ten stops before its in-store date, and at each stop a different position takes over the work. If you know which document and which screen is in whose hands along the way, you will understand all 20 positions more easily. This required reading is the first of the Academy's five trainings; then come the 20 position cards, and then the PLM, PIM and SRM trainings in order.

Field of study
3 parts · in order · no time limit
In each part
Reading, Pimland screens, 3 short questions
Fee
Free
Certificate
Pimland Basic Certificate
Start the training

The Academy starts here. Position cards open after this training.

Audio narration · listen first
  1. 1Ten stops
  2. 2The whole company
  3. 3Four modules
  4. 4Complete
Training 1
Part 1 · Ten stops

From design to shelf, from shelf to passport

A product's journey from design to digital passport

  1. 1. Brief and season calendar

    The season's story, target customer and budget are written down; the launch date is fixed, and the calendar is built backwards from it.

    DocumentSeason brief, season calendar

    • Collection manager
    • Merchandiser
    Pimland screen: Brief and season calendar

  2. 2. Line plan

    For each category, the plan sets how many styles, which price band, how many colors and what quantities to launch. Design will fill in the empty rows of this table.

    DocumentLine plan

    • Merchandiser
    • Collection manager
    • Costing specialist
    Pimland screen: Line plan

  3. 3. Design

    Moodboard, coded color palette, sketch and technical drawing. The style is born as a product card.

    DocumentMoodboard, color palette, technical drawing

    • Fashion designer
    Pimland screen: Design

  4. 4. Tech pack and BOM

    The drawing is turned into measurements, materials and workshop instructions. The BOM (bill of materials) lists every material with its quantity and supplier.

    DocumentTech pack, bill of materials (BOM)

    • Product development specialist
    • Pattern maker
    Pimland screen: Tech pack and BOM

  5. 5. Pattern, sample and fit

    The pattern is drawn, the proto sample is sewn, and the fit is corrected in fit sessions; every round goes on record.

    DocumentMeasurement chart, sample request form, fit comments

    • Pattern maker
    • Sample coordinator
    • Fashion designer
    • Product development specialist
    Pimland screen: Pattern, sample and fit

  6. 6. Sourcing and costing

    Material quotes are collected; the cost sheet comes out of the BOM and is compared with the target cost.

    DocumentSupplier quotes, cost sheet

    • Sourcing / purchasing specialist
    • Costing specialist
    Pimland screen: Sourcing and costing

  7. 7. Collection approval

    Samples, costs and sales expectations are laid side by side; for each style, the decision is to continue, revise or drop.

    DocumentLine review decisions, cost summary

    • Collection manager
    • Merchandiser
    • Fashion designer
    • Costing specialist
    Pimland screen: Collection approval

  8. 8. Orders, production and quality

    Material and subcontractor orders are placed; every stage from cutting to shipment is tracked against its planned date. In inline and final inspections, the lot is checked before it ships.

    DocumentPurchase order, production plan, quality control report

    • Sourcing / purchasing specialist
    • Production follow-up coordinator
    • Quality control coordinator
    Pimland screen: Orders, production and quality

  9. 9. To the shelf and the screen

    The product is photographed, the product card is prepared and it goes live on the channels; in the store, it goes out on the sales floor. Customers' questions come to the sales associate and customer service.

    DocumentShoot list, product card, measurement chart

    • Stylist
    • E-commerce specialist
    • Store sales associate
    • Customer service representative
    Pimland screen: To the shelf and the screen

  10. 10. Passport

    Composition, origin, care and end-of-life information is gathered in the digital product passport, opened by the QR code on the product; every claim has proof.

    DocumentCertificates, test reports, digital product passport

    • Sustainability specialist
    • Store sales associate
    • Customer service representative
    Pimland screen: Passport
Part 1 · Ten stopsDone reading? 3 short questions are next
Part 2 · The whole company

How does work flow in a fashion company?

In a fashion company, work flows like a relay race: one team finishes and the next takes over. The 'How is a product born?' part described the product's path; here you'll see the same path from inside the company: who works at each stage, what goes in, what comes out, where the work changes hands and where it most often breaks down. The flow doesn't run under the same names at every brand, but the order and the handovers are largely the same.

  1. 01

    Season plan and brief

    PLM

    The season's story, target customer, budget and launch date are set. The calendar is built backwards from the launch; managers use it to see which weeks each team will be busiest.

    3 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Collection manager
    • Merchandiser
    • Middle manager
    Inputs
    • Last season's sales and return results
    • Season budget
    • Trend and market research
    Outputs
    • Season brief
    • Season calendar and milestones
    • Team workload plan

    Handover pointThe moment the brief and calendar are approved and opened to the design and merchandising teams.

    Typical problemThe calendar is built only around the launch date; public holidays, trade fairs and supplier shutdowns are forgotten, and weeks get squeezed in the middle of the season.

    CheckDoes every milestone have an owner and a date; were overlapping weeks flagged in advance?

  2. 02

    Line plan and target cost

    PLM

    Category by category, the plan sets how many styles to launch, in which price band, and with which color and quantity range. Each row gets a target cost and a target margin; design works within this frame.

    4 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Merchandiser
    • Collection manager
    • Costing specialist
    • Planning specialist
    Inputs
    • Season brief
    • Sales data (sell-through, markdown)
    • Price band and target margin
    Outputs
    • Line plan
    • Target cost per style

    Handover pointThe moment the line plan is given to the design team as rows to fill in.

    Typical problemThe target cost is discussed after design; a style everyone likes gets dropped at the costing stage.

    CheckDoes every row in the line plan have a price band, target cost and quantity range written down?

  3. 03

    Design and the birth of the product record

    PLM

    The moodboard, coded color palette, sketches and technical drawings are prepared; each style is opened as a product record. If a new fabric or fiber is being chosen, the sustainability specialist says at this stage which documents will be needed.

    3 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Fashion designer
    • Collection manager
    • Sustainability specialist
    Inputs
    • Line plan
    • Fabric and trim swatch cards
    • Color palette
    Outputs
    • Technical drawing
    • Product record (style code, color, category)
    • Material proposal and list of required documents

    Handover pointThe moment the designer hands the drawing and design notes over to product development.

    Typical problemThe drawing is handed over without measurements or notes; product development has to guess what the designer intended.

    CheckDoes the drawing show the front, back and details, with the coded color and target fabric written down?

  4. 04

    Tech pack and BOM

    PLM

    The drawing is turned into measurements, materials and workshop instructions. The BOM (bill of materials) lists every material with its quantity and supplier. The composition is born here; from here it goes to the label, the product page and the passport.

    3 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Product development specialist
    • Pattern maker
    • Fashion designer
    Inputs
    • Technical drawing
    • Material selection
    • Base pattern and measurement chart
    Outputs
    • Tech pack
    • Bill of materials (BOM)
    • Size chart

    Handover pointThe moment the approved version of the tech pack goes to the sample room and to sourcing.

    Typical problemAn old version of the tech pack circulates by e-mail; the sample or the supplier quote is prepared from the wrong version.

    CheckAre the tech pack and BOM kept in a single record, with their version and approval date?

  5. 05

    Pattern, sample and fit

    PLM

    The pattern is drawn and the proto sample is sewn. In fit sessions, the fit is checked, comments are written down and the pattern is revised; the work moves forward round by round. The approved sample becomes the reference for production.

    4 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Pattern maker
    • Sample coordinator
    • Product development specialist
    • Fashion designer
    Inputs
    • Tech pack
    • Size chart
    • Sample request form
    Outputs
    • Proto and fit samples
    • Fit comments
    • Revised pattern
    • Approved sample

    Handover pointThe moment the fit comment goes to the pattern maker, and the approved sample goes to production as the reference.

    Typical problemThe fit comment stays verbal or is written without photos; the same correction is requested again in the next round.

    CheckAre every round's comments, photos and decisions on record; is it clear which sample is approved?

  6. 06

    Sourcing and costing

    SRM

    Fabric and trim quotes are collected, and subcontracting options are discussed. The cost sheet comes out of the BOM and is compared with the target cost. A new supplier's documents are requested at this stage.

    3 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Sourcing / purchasing specialist
    • Costing specialist
    • Sustainability specialist
    Inputs
    • Bill of materials
    • Supplier quotes
    • Target cost
    Outputs
    • Cost sheet
    • Supplier selection proposal
    • Supplier documents

    Handover pointThe moment the cost sheet is ready for collection approval.

    Typical problemThe BOM changes, but the cost sheet stays on the old BOM; approval is given on the wrong cost.

    CheckWas the cost sheet calculated from the current version of the BOM; are the MOQ and delivery date written in the quote?

  7. 07

    Collection approval

    PLM

    Samples, costs and sales expectations are laid side by side (line review). For each style, the decision is to continue, revise or drop; the decisions and their owners are written down.

    5 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Collection manager
    • Merchandiser
    • Fashion designer
    • Costing specialist
    • Middle manager
    Inputs
    • Approved samples
    • Cost sheets
    • Line plan
    Outputs
    • Line review decisions
    • Order quantities
    • Revision list

    Handover pointThe moment the approved styles are handed to sourcing for ordering.

    Typical problemA decision is made in the meeting but not written down; nobody knows who owns the style that needs revising.

    CheckAre each style's decision, reason for revision and owner on record?

  8. 08

    Orders, production and quality

    SRM

    Material and subcontractor orders are placed, and the PPS sample is approved. Every stage from cutting to shipment is tracked against its planned date. Inline and final inspections check the lot before it ships.

    4 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Sourcing / purchasing specialist
    • Production follow-up coordinator
    • Quality control coordinator
    • Middle manager
    Inputs
    • Line review decisions
    • Approved sample and tech pack
    • Supplier card
    Outputs
    • Purchase order
    • Production plan and current status
    • Quality control report
    • Shipment

    Handover pointThe moment a lot that passed final inspection goes out to the warehouse and the sales channels.

    Typical problemA slip in the delivery date is seen in production follow-up but reaches the sales teams late; the launch slips without a plan.

    CheckIs each order's actual status against its delivery date, and its quality result, in a shared record?

  9. 09

    To the shelf and the screen

    PIM

    The product is photographed; the product card is prepared with its attributes, multilingual content and online size chart, and goes live on the channels. The shipment arrives at the store, the visual layout is set up and price tags go on.

    8 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Stylist
    • E-commerce specialist
    • Store sales associate
    • Merchandiser
    • Planning specialist
    • Digital marketing and content specialist
    • Visual merchandiser (VM)
    • E-commerce operations specialist
    Inputs
    • Shoot list and images
    • Product information (composition, care, measurements)
    • Price and promotion list
    Outputs
    • Live product cards
    • The product on the store floor

    Handover pointThe moment the product goes live on the channel and out on the store floor; customer questions now come to the sales teams.

    Typical problemProduct information is entered separately for each channel; the site, the marketplace and the label say different things.

    CheckIs the information on the channel the same as the product record; does every variant going on sale have its image, measurements and stock ready?

  10. 10

    Sales, customers and the passport

    DPP

    Customers ask, buy and return. Composition, origin, care and end-of-life information is gathered in the digital product passport, opened by the QR code on the product; every claim has proof. At the end of the season, sales and return data, customer questions and complaints come back as lessons for the next season's brief.

    10 positions · inputs, outputs, typical problem
    • Store sales associate
    • Customer service representative
    • E-commerce specialist
    • Sustainability specialist
    • Merchandiser
    • Quality control coordinator
    • Product development specialist
    • Middle manager
    • E-commerce operations specialist
    • Visual merchandiser (VM)
    Inputs
    • Sales and return data
    • Customer questions and complaints
    • Certificates and test reports
    Outputs
    • Digital product passport
    • Product card corrections
    • End-of-season review

    Handover pointThe moment the end-of-season review goes into the next season's brief; the cycle closes here.

    Typical problemA recurring complaint or return reason stays in customer service or in the store; the same pattern error repeats the next season.

    CheckAre return reasons and complaints linked to the product code; is the document for every claim in the passport on record?

Delays are born when work changes hands

Most delays are born at the moment a piece of work changes hands.

  • Fashion designer
  • Product development specialist

Technical drawing, coded color, target fabric and design notes; product development turns these into measurements and workshop instructions.

If the link breaks: The tech pack is written by guesswork; the first sample isn't the product the designer wanted, and a round is wasted.

  • Product development specialist
  • Sample coordinator

The approved version of the tech pack and measurement chart, plus the sample request form.

If the link breaks: The sample is sewn from an old version; at the fit session, people discuss a product that isn't what the tech pack says.

  • Sample coordinator
  • Pattern maker

The fit session's comments, photos and measurement results.

If the link breaks: The pattern revision is incomplete or wrong; the same correction is requested again in the next round.

  • Costing specialist
  • Collection manager

The cost sheet calculated from the current BOM, and its difference from the target cost.

If the link breaks: The style is approved at the line review with the wrong cost; the margin loss is noticed only after the order is placed.

  • Sourcing / purchasing specialist
  • Production follow-up coordinator

The material and subcontractor orders placed, their delivery dates, and the approved PPS sample information.

If the link breaks: Production follow-up doesn't know when the materials will arrive; the cutting plan is built for nothing, and the delay is seen at the last minute.

  • Product development specialist
  • E-commerce specialist

Composition, care instructions and the online size chart; from the product record, a single source.

If the link breaks: The product card is copied from an old or similar product; the label, the site and the passport don't match, and size-related returns come in.

  • Sustainability specialist
  • E-commerce specialist

Environmental claims matched to documents, and passport data tied to proof.

If the link breaks: An unproven claim goes out on the product page and in a campaign; in the EU, environmental claims without documentation are banned, and the brand loses trust.

  • Customer service representative
  • Quality control coordinator

Recurring defect complaints about the same product, with the order, product code and photos.

If the link breaks: A lot problem gets closed one return at a time; sales from the same lot continue, and the supplier gets no feedback.

Part 2 · The whole companyDone reading? 3 short questions are next
Part 3 · Four modules

Four faces of the same product record

PLM

PLM (product lifecycle management) is the system that keeps all of a product's development information in a single product record, from its calendar to its design, from its tech pack to its BOM, from its samples to its costing.

Pimland PLM screen
PIM

PIM (product information management) is the system that gathers the information, images and multilingual content a product needs for sale in one place and sends them to e-commerce channels.

Pimland PIM screen
SRM

SRM (supplier relationship management) is the system that runs supplier cards, orders, production follow-up and quality inspections in a shared record between the brand and the supplier.

Pimland SRM screen
DPP

DPP (digital product passport) links a product's identity, materials, care and end-of-life information to a digital record opened by the QR code on the product.

Pimland DPP screen

The screens are from Pimland's demo environment; brands, suppliers, addresses and amounts are demo data.

Part 3 · Four modulesDone reading? 3 short questions are next

You've reached the end. When you complete it, Training 1 is finished and the position cards open.

FAQ

Your questions

5 questions

Of the 242 fashion and retail job ads published in Turkey in August–October 2026, only 2 mention PLM by name. But the work the ads ask for, namely the season calendar (29%), sample flow (19%), costing (19%) and the tech pack (10%), runs on systems like these. Someone who knows the screen doesn't spend their first week asking questions.

PLM develops the product, SRM produces it with the supplier, PIM tells its story for sale, and DPP opens the product's identity to the customer. All four are different faces of the same product record.

The order is largely the same; durations, names and who does what vary by brand. A brand that launches new products every month and a brand that launches one big collection per season do not use the same calendar.

Yes, this is the Academy's first step. The page has three parts; when you answer at least 2 of the 3 short questions at the end of each part correctly and click the “I've read it, complete” button at the bottom, you start opening the position cards. There is no time requirement; read at your own pace. The questions open with your Academy account, and your progress stays in your account. This reading shows the company's whole flow; you will understand the 20 position cards much more easily.

No. The screens come from Pimland's demo environment; brands, suppliers, addresses and amounts are demo data.

· Pimland Academy team